“It’s a real reach to say: ‘What did Gale do?’ [Shoot], Urlacher wasn’t even born yet, what does he know?” Butkus said. “I say things to other people, too, about the Bears. It’s total frustration. You think [Sayers] is saying it because he hates the Bears? You get so tired of sitting there watching them.”

Butkus called Urlacher’s criticism of Sayers “out of line” and “uncalled for” and said that Sayers is correct in thinking it will be tough for Urlacher to return to top form at the age of 32, after playing in only one game last season because of a wrist injury.

“The truth of the matter is that I think Gale is absolutely right when you talk about a linebacker who has played nine years and he is coming back off an injury,” Butkus said. “I would say that there should be some concern whether he can reach his ability again.”

this website is completely unreadable in the off season. This post was so far from news it is ridiculous, and I am a bears fan, I cant imagine how other non bears fans feel about having to sift through this detritus. please either post real news, I dont care about this tmz crap. 2 of the three people in this article havent even played pro sports in like 35 years. jeez!

All three of these guys have the right to say what they think, regardless of their diverging opinions of the Bears and of each other. Urlacher’s earned the right, despite his injury and dropoff in play in recent years, to defend himself and his team.
Likewise, Sayers and Butkus certainly have the right to criticize. All of these guys played the game hard and well in the primes of their careers, and can say what they want to who they want.
The difference is Urlacher can let his play still speak for himself, and hopefully he proves their criticism isn’t warranted.
I don’t think he will, but it’s up to him.

this is so crazy,galle sayers comes out an openly bashes urlacher and his team,in return,urlacher states facts,and people get mad at him for it,no way,how bout sayers shouldve kept his ,mouth shut if he cant take the heat,same with butkis,maybe he should keep his opinions to himself before somebody reminds him that he never won a thing in his whole career,and then he will start whining and maybe somebody else that never won anything can jump on urlacher,keep your mouth shut unless you can do better

Butkus not only would have played with the same wrist injury, he wouldn’t have missed a game and would have made the Pro Bowl. Seriously, Ur-lacking, you only played in 1 game because of a freaking wrist injury? The dude obviously never saw a game before he entered the league. Prior to the 90s, several players would go into the locker room, get a shot a numb the injury then get a cast on it before running back onto the field for the 2nd half.
Today’s players are weak. If Brian tries to talk any smack to Butkus, that 68 year old piece of scrap iron would punch his lights out.

All Gale needed to do was to reword some of his original comments and there wouldn’t be an issue between him and Bears’ players/fans.
“WE need to execute better, no phase except special teams last season performed well enough.”
“WE need to coach Jay Cutler to avoid unsatisfactory play for both the organization and himself, but at the same time WE need to provide the necessary surroundings to allow him to grow as a player.”
“WE need to make definite improvement in order to justify the blockbuster trade for Cutler.”
“WE have a long way to go before WE can honestly declare that we’re a playoff contender. 7-9 proved that.”
If Urlacher, other Bears or Chicago snapped on Sayers for things that they themselves can’t help but agree with, Sayers would definitely have the moral high ground and wouldn’t be out of line.
A former player heavily sympathetic to one team should still make the effort to talk like a teammate when asked about his team.

Yes, yes, that’s all good but how does Jack Concannon feel on the matter?
Please don’t feed the meatballs, you crusty old men. Urlacher has reaffirmed his dumbass status. Nothing more needs to be said.

I think I fear Dick Butkus more than Urlacher. As much of a beast as Urlacher has been mostly played up to be…Butkus was twice what Urlacher was at his best.
Tougher…smarter on the field…a better leader.
Like I said earlier…Urlacher needs to STFU.

Butkus is the standard by which all linebackers should be judged. I’m a lifetime Bears fan and yes, it does get old watching their BS. Urlacher should focus on trying to toughen up that sally-ass Cutler and win a few games. Why would he even start talking about rings? Rings? What Rings? Urlacher was like 8 in 1985… shut your face, shed some blocks and make a tackle.

Uhrlacher is def. right. When are retired players, ie Jim Kelly,Thurman Thomas, Sayers, Butkis etc gonna learn that their negative comments regarding their former teams play and personell doesnt really do much good. Uhrlacher was right. What did they ever win? How are they helping their beloved franchise??

Did you guys hear what Jon said about Jane in 5th period chemistry class? He called her a bitch and won’t talk to her anymore. She cried and left the room. Jason isn’t going to stand for this… he’s going to kick Jon’s ass!!!

the butkis being harder than nails comments are so dumb,the only reason why he is so made out to be so tough is cause the way he hit other players and by todays game he wouldnt be able to make the field,to many penelties,cant clothes line dudes anymore

What are you smokin’?
Dick Butkus played in a day when linemen were 235-250lbs and a fast 40 was anything under 5 seconds.
He’d be lucky to play on goaline D for Detroit these days.
Maybe if they would have sat out once in awhile in the ‘ol days, they would live past 50 nowadays.
I’m sick of people/athletes thinking they are above reproach.
Sayer’s is a big boy and Butkus is a proven moron for thinking he needs to rescue him from the young buck.

Keep in mind everyone that Butkus made those comments shortly after being cornholed by Michael Strahan (I guess they’re fishing buddies) so his allegiance was momentarily away from the mighty Bears.
Too bad Nitchke’s not here.

irishsamurai says:
May 20, 2010 3:25 PM
the butkis being harder than nails comments are so dumb,the only reason why he is so made out to be so tough is cause the way he hit other players and by todays game he wouldnt be able to make the field,to many penelties,cant clothes line dudes anymore
———————————–
Way to go irishsamurai!!! You just made the biggest sissy statement this board has ever seen.
Um…when it’s ok to clothesline…DO IT!!! Just cuz they don’t do it now, doesn’t mean it makes him any less tough. If they allowed that today, Urlacher would be trying (emphasize “TRYING”) to do the same thing.
Butkus was the toughest of his time. Urlacher can’t say that. Urlacher can’t even hold Zach Thomas’s jock.

how u name your son Dick and then ya last name is Butkus
man it must’ve been tough for him in highschool
_________________________________________
i hate the bears and everything bears, but come on … like butkus had it tough in high school. you kidding? if anything, he was lurking around hallways, knocking books out of the wimpy kids hands and taking lunch money.

i love post-ers commenting on how much they hate this site during the offseason and how crappy it is and how they wanna fight florio in the street… yet they check the website several times everyday, are members of the site, and regularly post comments. priceless.
florio and three g should get an award (or a cookie, or a hug at least) for sifting through all the hatemail. keep up the good work guys.

Tuperello,
You have no idea what the hell you’re talking about. Urlacher you might have an argument about being overrated; but you’re smoking crack if you say Butkus was overrated.
Athletes need to be measured by the era in which they played. In his time, Dick Butkus was one of the most feared players in the league.
The guy knocked the living sh*t out of people!!!
Wipe the dingleberries out of your eyes after you pull your head out of your ass!!!

What everyone fails to understand here is that Sayers never, I repeat NEVER says anything nice about the Bears. Like someone else said here, he mentioned Hester having a “good year” in ’06 when he was shattering the return records and appearing in the SB. He’s just a jealous, bitter old man. Urlacher was right to stick for his team. That’s what good leaders do.

The issue is these pro players seem to think that us fans really care about what they say, perhaps if they place more energy in playing and let there performance speak for itself then they wouldn’t have any energy left to talk this trash, old players and new ones both would received more respect from us fans, however, I doubt it,what with all this in your face crap that some love to do. Bill p.s. I remember the great Paul Warfield who would score a TD and hand the ball to the official, as his coach would tell his new player, when you score a TD, try acting like you been there before.

It’s irritating when “fans” act as though the NFL sprang out of the earth in 2010 as the most-watched sport in the country. The game was built over decades by men who were beaten black-and-blue but didn’t make multi-million-dollar salaries. When they got hurt, they kept playing if they wanted to feed their families.
Gale Sayers came back from a catastrophic knee injury when there was no microsurgery or state-of-the-art rehab. And he had to deal with racial issues NO player has to deal with today. Dick Butkus in his prime was the most feared LB in the league but he destroyed his knees and just about everything else while getting shafted moneywise by the Bears.
Meat Tuperello, you are an idiot. I am a DIEHARD Steelers fan, but spitting in Butkus’s face was not Joe Greene’s finest moment. Sometimes the bigger man is the one who walks away. Yes, the warrior got old and there was a changing of the guard. But that doesn’t alter what Butkus was in his prime–anymore than eventually being replaced by younger d-linemen means Joe Greene was overrated in HIS prime.
I like Urlacher, but he doesn’t begin to know the conditions under which both Sayers and Butkus earned their places in the Hall. Playoffs?!? Don’t talk to me about playoffs. If you love the game, show these men some respect. They’ve earned it.

Cushing Will Kill You says: “Dick Butkus can still kick Urlacher’s ass.”
No. No he couldn’t. Nor could he ever.
Butkus and Sayers both made big names by playing in the Big Town. Truth is, they weren’t all that. Neither went to the postseason, yet you’d think they had rings on every finger by the way they’ve been built-up.
More deserving players in smaller markets won’t sniff the Hall because they didn’t play in a market like Chicago. What did they win? Big f’in deal.
Urlacher by no means is the man. But on his best day Butkus couldn’t outrun, outhit, or outplay Urlacher.